American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Head Start Expansion | Apply Online

Head Start Expansion (ARRA) Grant FAQs (HHS-2010-ACF-OHS-SH-0057)

What is this grant opportunity?

This was a competitive federal grant opportunity called the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Head Start Expansion grant (Funding Opportunity Number HHS-2010-ACF-OHS-SH-0057). It was announced by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of Head Start (OHS), to help expand access to Head Start services for low-income preschool-age children.

What was the main purpose of the funding?

The core goal was to increase enrollment by adding preschool slots and serving additional eligible children and families. The funding was specifically designed for expansion rather than unrelated program activities.

Which federal agency administered this opportunity?

The opportunity was administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), through the Office of Head Start (OHS).

Was this a competitive grant?

Yes. The opportunity was described as a competitive federal grant.

What was the funding source or program classification?

The program was funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The CFDA number associated with the funding was 93.708.

What type of funding instrument was used?

The funding instrument was a grant, categorized as a Recovery Act funding activity.

How much total funding was expected to be awarded?

Roughly $6,823,772 in total funding was expected to be awarded under this opportunity.

How many awards were anticipated?

The announcement anticipated about 20 awards.

What was the maximum award amount?

Individual awards could be as high as a $4,000,000 ceiling.

Was there a minimum award amount stated?

No. The opportunity did not state a minimum award floor.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to current federally funded Head Start agencies (existing Head Start grantees). Only those entities could apply.

Are delegate agencies eligible to apply?

No. Delegate agencies were explicitly not eligible for this opportunity.

What geographic areas were included for expansion proposals?

The competition focused on expansion in Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Wyoming, and certain other U.S. jurisdictions: Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

What population was this expansion meant to serve?

The expansion was intended to increase the number of low-income preschool-age children served in Head Start, including serving additional eligible children and families.

Does the announcement allow expansion within an existing service area?

Yes. One approach allowed grantees to add children within their already defined, federally approved Head Start service area by increasing capacity and enrolling additional eligible families there.

Does the announcement allow expansion into a new (unserved) area?

Yes, but only under specific conditions. A grantee could propose to serve a nearby unserved area if it could demonstrate it met the statutory expectation of being a legitimate local Head Start provider for that community.

What does it mean to be a "legitimate local Head Start provider" for an unserved area?

Based on the announcement language, it meant showing that the community would recognize the applicant as a local agency with some presence in or connection to the community, or that the proposed community was contiguous to the grantee's current service area, and that there was clear community support for the applicant to operate Head Start in that unserved area.

Can an applicant propose both types of expansion (within the current service area and into an unserved area)?

Yes, but the rules required separate applications for separate proposals. If an applicant wanted to expand within its current service area and also start services in an unserved area, it had to submit separate applications for each.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

Yes. The opportunity indicated that cost sharing or matching was required, and applicants needed to plan for the non-federal share expectations that typically accompany Head Start funding.

Were there special reporting requirements because the funding came from ARRA?

Yes. Because the funding was provided under the Recovery Act, awardees would face additional reporting requirements consistent with ARRA, in addition to standard Head Start regulatory and performance requirements.

Is funding beyond the award period guaranteed?

No. The announcement noted that future funding beyond the award period would depend on the availability of federal funds, meaning continuation was not guaranteed automatically in later years.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on January 20, 2010.

What was the application deadline?

The original and current closing date was March 8, 2010.

What time were electronic applications due on the deadline date?

Applications submitted electronically through Grants.gov had to be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.

When was the opportunity archived?

The listing was archived on April 7, 2010.

How were applications submitted?

Electronic submissions were made through Grants.gov, with the stated requirement that they be submitted by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date.

Who can applicants contact if they cannot access the full announcement online?

The ACF Applications Help Desk was provided as the support contact. The email listed was appsupport@acf.hhs.gov.